Drunken Man Caught With 2 Pistols Said He Slurred Words Because He's From 'Down South': Police

A Homer Glen man caught driving drunk with a pair of pistols in his SUV explained to the law he was only slurring his words because he is from “down south,” police said.

Dominick Hlustik, 21, sped down 143rd Street, blew through a couple red lights and ignored the flashing lights of a squad car, police said. He then allegedly ducked into a parking lot and killed his headlights.

After an officer caught up with Hlustik and asked what he was doing, Hlustik reportedly told him he and his 21-year-old passenger were trying to get directions from their cell phones. He then allegedly admitted to having a few drinks.

“Hlustik stated he had a couple beers while watching the football games,” police said.

“Hlustik mumbled and slurred when he spoke,” police said. An officer “requested Hlustik to perform several field sobriety tests. Hlustik stated that his speech was slurred because he had an accent and used to live ‘down south.’”

Hlustik allegedly failed the sobriety tests. An officer then “observed a barrel of a handgun under the front seat” of the car, police said. The gun was loaded with four bullets. The officer reportedly found a second pistol loaded with eight bullets in the glove box of the black Lincoln Navigator.

The passenger told the officer “he had no knowledge of the guns” and “stated that he went to Hlustik’s to watch the football game,” police said.

“Hlustik said that (they) were going to pick up his girlfriend in Worth,” police said. The passenger “said that he had seen a shotgun at Hlustik’s residence in the past but did not know there were any guns in the vehicle.”

Hlustik copped to owning one of the pistols, according to police, and explained how “he worked construction in bad areas and bought the gun for protection.”

The gun “in the glove box belongs to his father,” he reportedly told police.

An officer “noticed that Hlustik’s speech was less slurred than when (he) first stopped him,” police said. The officer “asked Hlustik where his accent went. Hlustik stated he didn’t have one and lived in Homer Glen his entire life.”

Hlustic was charged with the aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, driving under the influence, speeding, failing to signal, disobeying a traffic control device, and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.

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